All posts by Parish Secretary

Stay awake!

This Sunday sees the beginning of the Season of Advent – the time of waiting for the coming of Jesus at Christmas. A time of waiting shouldn’t be a    dead, empty time, like waiting for a bus. Advent is the season when we prepare ourselves to welcome the Son of God.
The prophet Isaiah in today’s First Reading was writing at a time when the people of Israel were living in exile. The prophet laments that his people have forgotten their God and forgotten who they are. Their hearts are hardened. Isaiah cries out to God to come back to his people. St Paul reminds the Corinthians that God is faithful and will return as he has promised. They are waiting in hope and expectation.

Today’s Gospel finds Jesus preparing to face his own death. He warns his disciples that he will return at a time that they do not know – so they must be awake and ready, expectant and hopeful. We can prepare ourselves for Christmas by prayer and by reading the Scriptures. If we use this blessed time of waiting well, we will be ready to welcome Jesus with joy when he comes.

Christmas Film and Pizza Night

On Friday 15th December we will be showing our festive film, the 1994 version of “Miracle on 34th Street” starring Richard Attenborough. Doors to the Parish Room open for pizza and drinks at 6:30pm and the screening begins at 7pm. There is no charge but, to help us with the catering, please let Andy Doyle know (0798 543 4185 or andydoyle1066@sky.com) if you are planning to come along. 

Calling all Readers, Welcomers and Ministers of Communion

We need many volunteers to minister at the Christmas liturgies. If you can read, welcome or help to distribute Holy Communion at any or all of the following services: Carol Service at 4pm on Sunday 17th; Christmas Mass during the Night at 10pm on Christmas Eve; Christmas Mass on Christmas Day at 10am, then please sign up on the list on the noticeboard or contact Andy Doyle on 0798 543 4185 or andydoyle1066@sky.com Please do not leave it to the last minute.

Christmas Flowers

We are now working on the Christmas Flower Arrangements.  Would you like to sponsor an arrangement in memory of a loved one or for a special occasion?  Perhaps you would just like to contribute towards the cost of the flowers.  Flowers are not getting any cheaper particularly at this time of year!  Donations can be made via the dedicated box in the Narthex or by Debit/Credit card and the machine has a heading for flowers.   Many thanks for your support.  I can be contacted either by phone or email – 0191 386 3400 or c.m.kear@dunelm.org.uk  

Next Year’s Local Charity – Your Suggestions

Money raised each year from Coffee after Mass supports one local charity and one overseas charity. From April 2024 to Mar 2025, Kidshelp Cambodia is the chosen overseas one.

For the local Charity, suggestions are now being invited from parishioners. It must be a registered Charity.

If you have a charity which you wish to be considered please complete the details on the sheet in the narthex. The Justice and Peace group will then make decisions for the coming and possibly future years.

Churches Together in Elvet & Shincliffe: Holy Island 2024

Churches Together in Elvet & Shincliffe are considering re-starting our long-standing tradition of annual day pilgrimages to Holy Island. Our last was in 2019 and we would like to gauge the appetite for us to have one in 2024. An important part of this is to check the financial viability as costs have increased significantly over the last 5 years. Please help us to do this by completing a simple survey to be found at https://forms.gle/9YjsE5UhY3oiiPUV8 taking care to enter the address correctly. The survey will be open until 31st December 2023.

26 November – 10 December 2023

Sunday 26 November – Our Lord Jesus Christ the King
10:00am
Priest’s intention
6:30pm
Priest’s intention
Tuesday 28
12:15pm
Anne Rankin & deceased members of Rankin, Newton & Mallam Families
Wednesday 29
7:00pm
Priest’s intention
Friday 1 December
12:15pm
Priest’s intention
Saturday 2
9:15am
John Drane
Sunday 3 – Advent I
10:00am
Priest’s intention
6:30pm
Priest’s intention
Tuesday 5
9:15am
Priest’s intention
Wednesday 6
7:00pm
Priest’s intention
Thursday 7
12:15pm
Anne Rankin & deceased members of Rankin, Newton & Mallam Families
Friday 8 – The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
12:15pm
Eric Cheeseman 1st Anniversary
Saturday 9
9:15am
Priest’s intention
Sunday 10 – Advent II
10:00am
Priest’s intention
6:30pm
Priest’s intention

I was naked and you clothed me; sick, and you visited me

Today’s Gospel presents us with a stunning image. At the end of time, Jesus the Son of Man will sit on his throne of glory, surrounded by the angels, and will judge all the nations of the earth. Everyone will recognise his majesty and authority. Today we celebrate the Lord Jesus as Christ the King.

The King’s commandments seem simple. Give food and clothes to those who need them, welcome the stranger, visit those who are sick or in prison. Small things that every Christian can do. But Jesus tells his disciples that those small acts of kindness are the most important things we can do in this life. And the people who don’t seem to matter in this world – the least of our brothers and sisters – are the most important in the eyes of God. We will be judged on the way we treat those who are poor, powerless and pushed to the edges.

Today’s Feast of Christ the King brings the Church’s year to its end. Next week the season of Advent begins and we prepare to welcome the Lord at Christmas. We are disciples of a King who was born in a stable, a Saviour who was nailed to the Cross. He offers us eternal life and he calls us to care for the least of our brothers and sisters.